Complaints against new media keep rising

In fact, MCMC's Consumer Protection and Complaints Bureau Department (CCB) forecasts that by the end of 2017 the number of complaints on misconduct committed using the new media, that include websites, social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and even email will surpass the previous years' figure.

In 2015, MCMC recorded 1,908 complaints on the netizens' misbehaviour across the new media and the figure increased to 3,188 by the end of 2016. For 2017, the number of complaints as at end of May was 2,340 and by the end of the year the figure is expected to surpass last year's figure.

Ratnawaty Talib, MCMC's Head of Consumer Protection and Complaints Bureau Department noted that among the top five categories of complaints recorded from January to May this year were threats (753), cybercrime (555), fake information (482), slander (363) and obscene material (346).

MCMC observes 80 percent of the complaints received are mainly related to the content found on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram and Instagram.

For the second quarter of this year, MCMC noted that the highest number of complaints were online threat (41 percent) and hate speech (31 percent). The other categories of misconduct during the same period include misuse of information (14 percent), sexual solicitation (5 percent), cyber-bullying (6 percent), spreading of personal information (2 percent) and violence (graphic) (1 percent).

Ratnawaty added, "MCMC receives a lot of reports from consumers regarding cyber-crime, hate speech and threats over the net which are on the rise. Hate speech, for example, is a personally targeted crime and mostly perpetrated by an individual or individuals with the intention to cause harm to others and it deserves to be reported and investigated."

Complaint against hacking of websites and social media accounts, and online fraud including love scams are also on the rise. As more people shop online, there are more complaints on the modus operandi used to to lure buyers or the items delivered are not like the one specified or the one paid for.

The rising number of consumers going to MCMC to complain or lodge report over misconduct related to the new media suggests that the consumers have developed awareness and literacy on why it is important to take up the matter with the authorities and that action should be taken against the perpetrators.

The complaints received by the CCB are investigated under the Communication and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998. For scam, phishing and spam, MCMC collaborates with other relevant agencies such as Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and others.

Though Internet is indispensable, there are some irresponsible people who misuse the Internet to cheat, vilify, threaten and harm others.

Although the ministry has put the Communication Multimedia Act 1988 into force to punish the offenders of the new media related offences, MCMC strongly believes that self-regulation is the best prevention method for communication and multimedia consumers.

MCMC has come up with many campaigns to educate communication and multimedia consumers in Malaysia. One of the campaigns launched was Klik Dengan Bijak (KDB) that was first launched on 6 July 2012 with an all encompassing objective to create awareness, advocate positive use of Internet and reduce cyber-crime.

KBD revolves around three aspects namely safety, security and responsibility where all of these aspects promote self-regulation to curb cyber-crime.

According to Ratnawaty, safeguarding consumer interests is a very complex issue and it's getting challenging.

"We at MCMC will always need to keep up and upgrade ourselves to be a ahead of any situation. We want to advocate positive online behaviour in people and to always be responsible on social media."

SELANGOR LEADS IN CYBER COMPLAINTS

As of May 2017, Selangor tops the complaints list with 1,534 complaints followed by Pahang (1,036), Johor (730) and Kuala Lumpur (696). Federal Territories of Labuan and Putrajaya had 46 complaints in total while Perlis had 36.

"Based on the data collected, we are drawing our upcoming road tour to the states with little complaints such as Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, Melaka, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan. We want to increase public awareness so that people will come forward to lodge report with MCMC," said Ratnawaty.

The public can channel their grouses and lodge complaints with MCMC via its online complaint portal; complaint.cfm.org.my or hotline number 1800188030, WhatsApp to 0162206262, SMS to 15888 or e-mail to [email protected]